Process for rapid dissolving water-soluble vinyl addition polymers using water-in-oil emulsions

ABSTRACT

Water-soluble vinyl addition polymers may be rapidly dissolved in water by first dispersing these polymers into a water-in-oil emulsion and then inverting these emulsions in water. The inversion of the emulsion releases the polymer into water as a solution.



1. A METHOD OF RAPIDLY DISSOLVING WATER-SOLUBLE VINYL ADDITION POLYMERS INTO WATER, WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF: (A) PREPARING A WATER-INOIL EMULSION WHICH CONTAINS DISPERSED THEREIN (A) FROM 5 TO 75 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF FINELY-DIVIDED WATER-SOLUBLE VINYL ADDITION POLYMER, (THEREBY PROVIDING A POLYMER-CONTAINING EMULSION) SAID EMULSION HAVING AN OIL-TO-WATER RATIO BETWEEN 5:1 1:10 AND SAID OIL BEING A HYDROCARBON LIQUID, AND THEN, (B) INVERTING SAID EMULSION IN WATER WHEREBY THE WATER-SOLUBLE VINYL ADDITION POLYMER IS RELEASED INTO THE WATER AS A SOLUTION.
 2. The method of claim 1 where the polymer-containing emulsion is inverted by means of agitation.
 3. The method of claim 1 where the emulsion is inverted by means of a surfactant.
 4. A method of rapidly dissolving water-soluble vinyl addition polymers into water, which comprises the steps of: (A) preparing a water-in-oil emulsion which contains dispersed therein (at least 2%) from 5 to 75 percent by weight of particles of a water-soluble vinyl addition polymer (ranging in) having an average size in the range of from 5 millimicrons to 5 millimeters (of a water-soluble vinyl addition polymer;) , (thereby providing a polymer-containing emulsion) said emulsion having an oil-to-water ratio between 5:1 - 1:10 and said oil being a hydrocarbon liquid ; and then (B) inverting said polymer-containing emulsion by adding it to water which contains from 0.01 to 50% by weight of a surfactant based on the weight of the polymer (of a surfactant whereby the water-soluble vinyl addition polymer is relased into the water as a solution) .
 5. The method of claim 4 where the surfactant is a water-soluble surfactant.
 6. The method of claim 5 where the surfactant is present in the water in an amount ranging from 1.0 to 10% by weight.
 7. A method of rapidly dissolving water-soluble vinyl addition polymers into water which comprises the steps of: (A) preparing a water-in-oil emulsion which contains dispersed therein from 5 to 75% by weight of particles of a water-soluble vinyl addition polymer (ranging in) having an average size in the range of from 5 millicrons to 5 microns (of a water-soluble vinyl addition polymer) , said emulsion having an oil-to-water ratio between 5:1 - 1:10 and said oil being a hydrocarbon liquid ; and then, (B) inverting said polymer-containing emulsion by adding it to water in an amount to provide an aqueous solution of from 0.1 to 20% by weight of polymer (to water which contains) , said water containing from 1.0 to 10% (by weight of the polymer) of a water soluble surfactant based upon the weight of the polymer (whereby the water-soluble vinyl addition polymer is released into the water as a solution) .
 8. A method of rapidly dissolving water-soluble vinyl addition polymers into water, which comprises the steps of: (A) preparing a water-in-oil emulsion which contains dispersed therein (a) from 5 to 75 percent by weight of finely-divided water-soluble vinyl addition polymer and a compatible water-soluble surfac-(tant, thereby providing a polymer-containing emulsion;) tant, said emulsion having an oil-to-water ratio between 5:1 and 1:10 and said oil being hydrocarbon liquid; and then, (B) inverting said emulsion in water whereby the water-soluble vinyl addition polymer is released into the water as a solution.
 9. The method of claim 8 where the polymer-containing emulsion is inverted by means of agitation.
 10. A method of rapidly dissolving water-soluble vinyl addition polymers into water, which comprises the steps oF: (A) preparing a water-in-oil emulsion which contains (dispersed therein) from 5 to 75 percent (at least 2%) by weight of dispersed particles of a water-soluble vinyl addition polymer (ranging in) having an average size in the range of from 5 millimicrons to 5 millimeters (of a water-soluble vinyl addition polymer) and a compatible water-soluble surfactant, (thereby providing a polymer containing emulsion) said emulsion having an oil-to-water ratio between 5:1 - 1:10 and said oil being a hydrocarbon liquid ; and then, (B) inverting said emulsion in water whereby the water-soluble vinyl addition polymer is released into the water as a solution.
 11. A method of rapidly dissolving water-soluble vinyl addition polymers into water which comprises the steps of: (A) preparing a water-in-oil emulsion which contains (dispersed therein) from 5 to 75% by weight of dispersed particles of a water-soluble vinyl addition polymer (ranging in) having an average size in the range of from 5 millimicrons to 5 microns (of a water-soluble vinyl addition polymer) and a compatible water-soluble surfactant, said emulsion having an oil-to-water ratio between 5:1 - 1:10 and said oil being a hydrocarbon liquid; and then, (B) inverting said emulsion in water whereby the water-soluble vinyl addition polymer is released into the water as a solution.
 12. The method of claim 1 where the water-soluble vinyl addition polymer is a polyacrylic acid.
 13. The method of claim 8 where the water-soluble vinyl addition polymer is a polyacrylic acid.
 14. A METHOD OF RAPIDLY DISSOLVING WATER-SOLUBLE VINYL ADDITION POLYMERS INTO WATER WHICH COMPRISES INVERTING IN WATER A WATER-IN-OIL EMULSION CONTAINING FROM 5 TO 75 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF DISPERSED FINELY DIVIDED WATER-SOLUBLE VINYL ADDITION POLYMER, SAID EMULSION HAVING AN OIL-TO-WATER RATIO BETWEEN 5:1 -1:10 AND SAID OIL BEING A HYDROCARBON LIQUID.
 15. The method of claim 14 wherein said emulsion is inverted by agitation.
 16. The method of claim 14 wherein said emulsion is inverted in the presence of a surfactant.
 17. The method of claim 16 wherein the surfactant is water-soluble.
 18. The method of claim 14 wherein said water-soluble vinyl addition polymer is polyacrylic acid.
 19. A method of rapidly dissolving water-soluble vinyl addition polymers into water which comprises inverting a water-in-oil emulsion by adding it to water, said emulsion containing dispersed therein from 5 to 75 percent by weight of particles of a water-soluble vinyl addition polymer having an average size in the range of from 5 millimicrons to 5 millimeters, said emulsion having an oil-to-water ratio between 5:1 - 1:10, said oil being a hydrocarbon liquid and said water containing from 0.1 to 50% by weight of a surfactant based on the weight of the polymer.
 20. The method of claim 19 wherein the surfactant is water-soluble.
 21. The method of claim 19 wherein said water contains from 1.0 to 10% by weight of a surfactant based on the weight of the polymer.
 22. A method of rapidly dissolving water-soluble vinyl addition polymers into water which comprises inverting a water-in-oil emulsion by adding it to water, said emulsion containing dispersed therein from 5 to 75% by weight of particles of a water-soluble vinyl addition polymer having an average size in the range of from 5 millimicrons to 5 microns, said emulsion having an oil-to-water ratio between 5:1 - 1:10, said oil being a hydrocarbon liquid, said water containing from 1.0 to 10% of a water-soluble surfaCtant based on the weight of the polymer, and said emulsion being added in an amount to provide an aqueous solution containing from 0.1 to 20% by weight of polymer.
 23. A method of rapidly dissolving water-soluble vinyl addition polymers into water which comprises inverting a water-in-oil emulsion in water, said emulsion containing from 5 to 75 percent by weight of dispersed finely divided water-soluble vinyl addition polymer and a compatible water-soluble surfactant, said emulsion having an oil-to-water ratio between 5:1 - 1:10 and said oil being a hydrocarbon liquid.
 24. The method of claim 23 wherein said emulsion is inverted by agitation.
 25. The method of claim 23 wherein said polymer is in the form of particles having an average size in the range of from 5 millimicrons to 5 millimeters.
 26. The method of claim 23 wherein said water-soluble vinyl addition polymer is polyacrylic acid.
 27. A method of rapidly dissolving water-soluble vinyl addition polymers into water which comprises inverting a water-in-oil emulsion by adding it to water, said emulsion containing from 5-75% by weight of dispersed particles of a water-soluble vinyl addition polymer having an average size in the range of from 5 millimicrons to 5 microns, said emulsion also containing a compatible water-soluble surfactant, said emulsion having an oil-to-water ratio between 5:1 - 1:10 and being added in an amount to provide an aqueous solution of from 0.1 to 20% by weight of polymer, and said oil being a hydrocarbon liquid.
 28. The method of claim 1 wherein said oil is an aliphatic hydrocarbon liquid.
 29. The method of claim 14 wherein said oil is an aliphatic hydrocarbon liquid. 